BRIEFING PAPER Number 7176, 12 March 2020 Select committees: By Richard Kelly

election of chairs and members

Inside: 1. Committees whose chairs are elected by the whole House 2. Allocation of select committee chairs between the parties 3. Nomination and election of select committee chairs 4. Election results: Chairs 5. Election of members to select committees 6. Summary of timetables, 2010, 2015, 2017 and 2019

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Number 7176, 12 March 2020 2

1. Committees whose chairs are elected by the whole House

The chairs of the following select committees are elected by the House Standing Order No in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (14) of Standing Order No 122B to 122A sets term serve as chair throughout the Parliament. At the beginning of the 2019 limits for select Parliament, these are: committee chairs of • the 20 departmental select committees appointed under Standing two full Parliaments Order No 152: or eight years. On 21 January Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy; International Trade; 2020, the House agreed to disapply Digital, Culture, Media and Sport; Justice; Standing Order No Defence; Northern Ireland Affairs; 122A for the 2019 Parliament. Education; Science and Technology; In the 2017 Parliament, on 18 Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Scottish Affairs; April 2018, the Foreign Affairs; Transport; House agreed to extend the limit to Health and Social Care; Treasury; 10 years for the Home Affairs; Welsh Affairs; remainder of the 2017 Parliament. Housing, Communities and Local Women and Equalities;1 and Government; Work and Pensions. International Development;

• the Environmental Audit Committee; • the ; • the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee;2 • the Committee of Public Accounts; • the ; and • the Committee on Standards. In addition, the Chair of the Backbench Business Committee is elected each Session in accordance with Standing Order No 122D.3 Committee on Exiting the European Union During the 2015 Parliament and at the beginning of the 2017, the House agreed temporary Standing Orders to establish the Committee on Exiting the . The House also agreed that the Committee’s chair should be elected by the whole House.4 Cover page image copyright: UK Parliament

1 On 3 June 2015, the House added the Women and Equalities Committee to this list, with effect until the end of the 2015 Parliament [HC Deb 3 June 2015 cc704-720]. A motion to make this a permanent select committee under Standing Order No 152 was agreed to on 4 July 2017 [HC Deb 4 July 2017 cc1077-1088] 2 formerly Select Committee on Public Administration: it was renamed and its terms of reference were amended on 3 June 2015 [HC Deb 3 June 2015 c720] 3 See section 3 4 On 11 October 2016, the Exiting the European Union Committee was established and added to list of committees whose Chair is elected by the whole House [HC Deb 11 October 2016 cc254-260]. The Committee was appointed until the end of the 2015 Parliament. A motion to re-establish this Committee in the 2017 Parliament, 3 Select committees: election of chairs and members

On 16 January 2020, the House agreed to appoint the Committee on Exiting the European Union for twelve months.5 (The Committee was included in the motion to allocate chairs, tabled on 9 January 2020 (see section 2).) On 2 March 2020, the Committee on Exiting the EU was renamed the Committee on the Future Relationship with the EU.6 2. Allocation of select committee chairs between the parties

On the day after his election, the Speaker is required to “communicate to the leaders of each party represented in the House the proportion of chairs of select committees to be elected under this order falling to each such party which would reflect the composition of the House”.7 The parties entitled to one or more chairs of select committees subject to election then determine from which party each chair is to come. A motion, tabled in the name of the leaders of those parties, specifies the allocation of the chairs between the parties. The motion allocating chairs to parties does not have to match the proportions which the Speaker communicated to the party leaders. Under Standing Order No 122B (3) and (5), if the motion tabled by the party leaders is debated within a week of the Queen’s Speech, debate is limited to one hour. If two weeks elapse without the party leaders tabling such a motion, any Member can propose an allocation of chairs. On 20 December 2019, the House agreed to extend the one-week period to three weeks and the two-week period to four weeks (to allow for the Christmas Recess).8 At the beginning of the 2019 Parliament, the election of the Speaker took place on 17 December, and the Queen’s Speech on 19 December.9 On 9 January 2020, the leaders of the three parties entitled to chairs tabled a motion to allocate the chairs among the parties.10 The motion was agreed, without debate or division, on 16 January 2020: Select committees appointed under Standing Order No. 152: Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Labour Defence Conservative Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Conservative Education Conservative Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Conservative

and to provide for the election of the Chair, was agreed to on 4 July 2017 [HC Deb 4 July 2017 cc1077-1088] 5 HC Deb 16 January 2020 c1266-1267 6 HC Deb 2 March 2020 c712 7 House of Commons, Standing Orders – Public Business, 2019, November 2019, HC 314 2019, Standing Order No 122B (2) 8 HC Deb 20 December 2019 c145 9 HC Deb 17 December 2019 cc2-4; HC Deb 19 December 2019 cc31-33 10 House of Commons, Order of Business, 13 January 2020, Remaining Orders Item 6 Number 7176, 12 March 2020 4

Foreign Affairs Conservative Health and Social Care Conservative Home Affairs Labour Housing, Communities and Local Government Labour International Development Labour International Trade Scottish National Party Justice Conservative Northern Ireland Affairs Conservative Science and Technology Conservative Scottish Affairs Scottish National Party Transport Conservative Treasury Conservative Welsh Affairs Conservative Women and Equalities Conservative Work and Pensions Labour Other specified select committees: Environmental Audit Conservative Exiting the European Union Labour Petitions Labour Procedure Conservative Public Accounts Labour Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Conservative Standards Labour11 The Government indicated that it planned to make Machinery of Government changes after the UK left the EU. In response to a question from Valerie Vaz, the Leader of the House, Jacob Rees-Mogg “absolutely assure[d] the right hon. Lady that any changes that are made will lead to consultation with the Opposition about any changes to Committees”.12 As noted above, the Committee on Exiting the European Union was renamed the Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union.

Box 1: Allocation of chairs – 2010, 2015 and 2017 2010: A motion to allocate the chairs of the 19 departmental select committees appointed under Standing Order No 152 and four further committees specified under Standing Order No 122B (1) was agreed on 26 May 2010, the day after the Queen’s Speech.13 2015: A motion to allocate the chairs of the 2014 departmental select committees appointed under Standing Order No 152 and six15 further committees specified under Standing Order No 122B (1) was agreed on 3 June 2015, one week after the Queen’s Speech.16 2017: A motion to allocate the chairs of the 20 departmental select committees appointed under Standing Order No 152 and seven further committees specified under Standing Order No 122(B) (1) was agreed on 4 July 2017, almost two weeks after the Queen’s Speech.17

11 HC Deb 16 January 2020 cc1267-1268 12 HC Deb 9 January 2020 c618 13 HC Deb 26 May cc171-173 14 Including the Women and Equalities Committee, appointed for the duration of the 2015 Parliament 15 The Petitions Committee was established on 24 February 2015 [HC Deb 25 February 2015 cc248-256]; the House ordered that the Chair of the Committee on Standards should be elected by the House on 17 March 2015 [HC Deb 17 March 2015 cc695- 706] 16 HC Deb 3 June 2015 cc720-721 17 HC Deb 4 July 2017 cc1077-1088 5 Select committees: election of chairs and members

3. Nomination and election of select committee chairs

The procedure for nominating candidates for chairs is set out in Standing Order No 122B (8). The Speaker used his powers under Standing Order No 122B to shorten the two-week period between the House agreeing the allocation of chairs between the parties and their election. On 16 January 2020, following the agreement of the allocation of chairs, the Deputy Speaker announced that elections would be held on Wednesday 29 January, with nominations closing at 4pm on Monday 27 January. The same timetable would apply for the election of the Chair of the Backbench Business Committee.18 Details of the nomination and election process were set out in the Announcements section of the Order Paper: ELECTION OF SELECT COMMITTEE CHAIRS Nominations Nominations must be received in writing in the Table Office by 4pm on Monday 27 January. Each nomination must consist of a signed statement made by the candidate declaring their willingness to stand, accompanied by the signatures of 15 Members elected to the House as members of the same party as the candidate, or ten per cent of the members of that party, whichever is the lower. Statements may (optionally) be accompanied by signatures of up to five Members elected to the House as members of any party other than that to which the candidate belongs, or members of no party. In the case of the Backbench Business Committee, candidates require signatures of between 20 and 25 Members, of whom no fewer than 10 shall be members of a party represented in Her Majesty’s Government and no fewer than 10 shall be members of another party or no party. No Member may sign more than one such statement in relation to candidates for the same chair; if any Member does so, their signature will no longer be valid. Candidates for select committee chairs should declare any relevant interests. Candidates also have the option of providing a 500-word supporting statement. Nominations will be published in the House’s business papers and on the Parliament website each day. As soon as possible after the close of nominations, the full list of candidates and their sponsors will be placed in the Table Office and the Vote Office in the Members’ Lobby and will be published on the website. A booklet will also be published containing a photograph of each candidate, supporting signatures, any declared interests and any supporting statement. Ballot and count The ballot will be held in Committee Room 16 between 10am and 4pm on Wednesday 29 January.

18 HC Deb 16 January 2020 c1269 Number 7176, 12 March 2020 6

Members should vote by ranking as many candidates as they wish in order of preference, marking 1 by the name of their first preference, 2 by the name of their second preference, and so on. The ballot will be counted under the Alternative Vote system. For further details, please see the Briefing Note available in the Vote Office and Table Office.19 A list of those nominated was published each day and was available with the Summary Agenda and Order of Business.

Box 2: Nominations – 2010, 2015 and 2017 2010: The motion to allocate chairs to parties was considered on 26 May. In accordance with the timetable in the Standing Orders, nominations closed at 5pm on 8 June and the election took place on 9 June. 2015: In 2015, the Speaker exercised his powers to vary timings. The allocation of chairs motion was considered on 3 June. Nominations closed on 10 June and the election took place on 17 June.20 2017: In 2017, the Speaker used his powers to vary timings and shorten the timetable. The allocation of chairs motion was considered on 4 July. Nominations closed on Friday 7 July and the election took place on Wednesday 12 July.21

4. Election results: Chairs

In January 2020, two announcements reporting the results of the election of chairs were made to the House: • On 27 January 2020, when nominations closed, the chairs elected unopposed were announced. • On 29 January 2020, following elections, the results of the contested elections were announced. In previous Parliaments, a single announcement was made, following the conclusion of the contested elections. Chairs elected unopposed (27 January) Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Eleanor Laing): The House will be aware that the deadline for nominations of Select Committee Chairs was 4 pm today. The following Committees received a single nomination, and therefore the following candidates will be elected unopposed: Committee Elected Backbench Business Ian Mearns Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Rachel Reeves Education Robert Halfon Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Neil Parish Exiting the European Union Hilary Benn Home Affairs Yvette Cooper Housing, Communities and Local Government Clive Betts Public Accounts Meg Hillier Scottish Affairs Pete Wishart

19 House of Commons, Order Paper, 20 January 2020 20 House of Commons, Business Today, 4 June 2015, Announcements – Election of Select Committee Chairs 21 HC Deb 4 July 2017 c1077 (for Speaker’s statement) and cc1087-1088 for the agreement on the allocation of chairs 7 Select committees: election of chairs and members

Standards Kate Green Treasury Mel Stride Welsh Affairs Stephen Crabb Women and Equalities Caroline Nokes I congratulate all Members who have thus been elected. The ballot for the remaining posts will take place on Wednesday 29 January between 10 am and 4 pm in Committee Room 16, and a final list of candidates and their supporters will be available shortly in the Vote Office.22 Chairs elected following contested elections (29 January) [Mr Speaker:] We now come to the announcement of the results for the election of Select Committee Chairs. The results for Chairs who were unopposed were announced on Monday and the election for the contested votes were held by secret ballot today. Five hundred and eighty-six ballot papers were submitted. The results are as follows: Committee Elected Defence Mr Tobias Ellwood Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Julian Knight Environmental Audit Philip Dunne Foreign Affairs Tom Tugendhat Health and Social Care Jeremy Hunt International Development Sarah Champion International Trade Angus Brendan MacNeil Justice Sir Robert Neill Northern Ireland Affairs Simon Hoare Petitions Catherine McKinnell Procedure Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs William Wragg Science and Technology Greg Clark Transport Huw Merriman Work and Pensions Stephen Timms I congratulate colleagues who have been elected and thank all the candidates for taking part. The full breakdown of voting in each contest is set out in the paper that will be available shortly from the Vote Office and on the website. The Members elected take up their positions formally when the Committee has been nominated by the House.23 A list of chairs since 2010 can be found in the Library Briefing Paper Chairs of Commons select committees since 2010 (CBP 4400).

Box 3: Election of chairs – 2010, 2015 and 2017 2010: The election of select committee chairs took place on 9 June 2010 and the Speaker announced the results of the election on 10 June 2010.24 2015: The election of select committee chairs took place on 17 June 2015 and the Speaker announced the results of the election on 18 June 2010.25 2017: The election of select committee chairs took place on 12 July 2017 and the Speaker announced the results of the election on the same day.26

22 HC Deb 27 January 2020 c558 23 HC Deb 29 January 2020 c895 24 HC Deb 10 June 2010 c465 25 HC Deb 18 June 2015 c469 26 HC Deb 12 July 2017 cc397-398; House of Commons news, Winning candidates for select committee chairs announced, 12 July 2017 Number 7176, 12 March 2020 8

5. Election of members to select committees

Once chairs have been elected, the remaining members can be nominated. On 4 March 2010, the House endorsed “the principle that parties should elect members of select committees in a secret ballot by whichever transparent and democratic method they choose”.27 Once individual parties have determined which members to nominate, under their own internal arrangements, the names are presented to the Committee of Selection. The Chair of the Committee of Selection then tables motions listing the names of Members nominated by parties and the motions are considered by the House. Standing Orders require that notice of any such motion must be given at least two sitting days before it is considered on the floor of the House.28 In the 2019 Parliament nominations to 19 of the 20 departmental select committees were agreed by the House on 2 March 2020.29 In addition, on the same day, members were nominated to the seven other specified select committees, the Backbench Business Committee and other select committees that choose their own chair.

Box 4: Nomination of members of select committees – 2010 and 2015 2010: Motions to approve the nomination of members to 18 departmental select committees; the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee (appointed for the 2010 Parliament only); the Public Accounts Committee; the Public Administration Committee; and the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments (whose chair is not elected) were agreed on 12 July 2010. Members of the remaining departmental select committee (Northern Ireland Affairs) were appointed by the House on 26 July 2010, along with the members of a number of other committees.30 2015: Motions to approve the nomination of members to six departmental select committees; and the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee were agreed on 6 July 2015. Members of the remaining departmental select committees were nominated on 8 July (11 committees) and 13 July (three committees).31 Members of the remaining committees whose chairs are elected were nominated on: • Public Accounts Committee – 7 July; • Procedure Committee – 13 July • Environmental Audit Committee and Petitions Committee – 20 July • Standards Committee – 9 September 2017: In the 2017 Parliament, the responsibilities of the Committee of Selection were undertaken by the Selection Committee. It was appointed on 12 September 2017, for the duration of the 2017 Parliament.32 Members of select committees were confirmed the previous day, when the House agreed Government motions setting out the names of nominated members. 33

27 HC Deb 4 March 2010 c1095 28 House of Commons, Standing Orders – Public Business, 2019, November 2019, HC 314 2019, Standing Order No 121 (2) 29 HC Deb 2 March 2020 c714ff. The motion to nominate members of the Scottish Affairs Committee was being debated at the moment of interruption – the debate stands adjourned 30 HC Deb 12 July 2010 cc763-766; HC Deb 26 July 2010 cc833-834 31 HC Deb 6 July 2015 c149; HC Deb 8 July 2015 cc417-418; HC Deb 13 July 2015 c700 32 HC Deb 12 September 2017 cc765-810 33 HC Deb 11 September 2017 cc604-607 9 Select committees: election of chairs and members

6. Summary of timetables, 2010, 2015, 2017 and 2019

Event 2010 2015 2017 2019

Election of Speaker 18 May 18 May 13 June 17 Dec

Queen’s Speech 25 May 27 May 21 June 19 Dec

Allocation of chairs 26 May* 3 June 4 July 16 Jan 2020

Nominations closed 8 June 10 June 7 July 27 Jan (3pm) (4pm)

Election 9 June 17 Jun 12 July 29 Jan

Results announced 10 June 18 June 12 July 29 Jan$

Nomination of 12-26 6-20 July# 11 Sept## 2 Mar^ Members July * The party affiliation of the Chair of the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee was decided on 7 June 2010 # Members of the Standards Committee were nominated on 9 September ## Members of the Standards Committee were nominated on 26 October $ The Deputy Speaker announced the names of the chairs who were elected unopposed, on 27 January 2020 ^ The motion to nominate members of the Scottish Affairs Committee was being debated at the moment of interruption – the debate stands adjourned

The above table can be set out in terms of sitting days for each of the Parliaments:

Event 2010 2015 2017 2019

Election of Speaker 1 1 1 1

Queen’s Speech 5 6 4 3

Allocation of chairs 6 10 11 11

Nominations closed 11 14 * 16

Election 12 18 16 18

Results announced 13 19 16 18

Nomination of Members 30-38 28-36 25 32

* non-sitting day, the day after the 13th sitting day Source: Votes and Proceedings

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